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N’DJAMENA, Chad — Chad’s military chief announced late yesterday that his troops in northern
Mali had killed Moktar Belmoktar, the terrorist who orchestrated the attack on a natural-gas plant
in Algeria that left 36 foreigners dead.

The French military, which is leading the offensive against al-Qaida-linked rebels in Mali, said
it could not immediately confirm the information.

Local officials in Kidal, the northern town that is being used as the base for the military
operation, cast doubt on the assertion, saying Chadian officials are attempting to score a
public-relations victory to make up for the significant losses they have suffered in recent
days.

On Friday, Chad’s president said his troops had killed Abou Zeid, the other main al-Qaida
commander operating in northern Mali.

If both deaths are confirmed, it would mean that the international intervention in Mali had
succeeded in decapitating two of the pillars of al-Qaida in the Sahara.

The French military moved into Mali on Jan. 11 to push back militants linked to Belmoktar and
Abou Zeid, plus other extremist groups. The militants had imposed harsh Islamic rule in the north
of the vast country and were seen as an international terrorist threat.

France is trying to rally other African troops to help in the military campaign because Mali’s
military is weak and poor. Chadian troops have offered the most-robust reinforcement.

In Kidal, Mali, an elected official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to
speak to the news media, said he did not think that Belmoktar was dead. He waved off the claim as
an attempt by Chad to explain the loss of dozens of troops to their grieving nation.

“These last few weeks, the Chadians have lost a significant number of soldiers in combat.
(Claiming that they killed Belmoktar) is a way to give some importance to their intervention in
Mali,” said the official, who keeps in close contact with both French and Malian commanders in the
field.